Best pizza you have had anywhere?

PSUJam

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Oct 7, 2021
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I actually work outside Old Forge and the pizza may have taken a step back overall. Our favorite right now is Colarusso's in Avoca. If we're doing toppings, then its the Red with Hot Seeds and Anchovies from Cafe Rinaldi in OF. But in contrast, the dining has improved at Anthony's, Cusumano's and Cafe Rinaldi. We're more likely to go for dinner than pizza in OF.
Also of note, Arcaro & Genell is only doing take away for now. Ang may not reopen the dining room. He's also had some personal family tragedy.
The best Collarussos by far. All of the other Collarussos are imposters, including the Jessup location. My mother loves Anthony's pizza and everyone I know including my wife says Rinaldi has the best risotto in the area...not my thing. Had no clue about Arcaro and Genells. My uncle was in the food service business and would frequent AG often. When he passed they sent enough food to my aunt's house to feed 100 people. My wife was at a shower there not too long ago. Was his shutting down to only take out recent?
 

flavorguy

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Aug 16, 2021
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Trust me.... NJ resident / travel into NYC & Brooklyn and CT frequently / have been to DaFarva, John's, Patsy's, DeLorenzo's, Lucali, Lombardi's, Sally's Apizza....

My recommendation is a place in Buckhead GA and an outpost in Terminal A in ATL airport (don't laugh). Electric deck oven - 800'F plus cook - but not a wood fire neapolitan style. The pizza exhibits great char and leopard spotting (which happens only when you have a long fermented dough and starch converted to simple sugars for Maillard browning (48 hrs dough cold temp ferment typical for this reaction)....

Varasanos Pizza - Buckhead and Terminal A ATL
 

PSU87

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Oct 12, 2021
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Trust me.... NJ resident / travel into NYC & Brooklyn and CT frequently / have been to DaFarva, John's, Patsy's, DeLorenzo's, Lucali, Lombardi's, Sally's Apizza....

My recommendation is a place in Buckhead GA and an outpost in Terminal A in ATL airport (don't laugh). Electric deck oven - 800'F plus cook - but not a wood fire neapolitan style. The pizza exhibits great char and leopard spotting (which happens only when you have a long fermented dough and starch converted to simple sugars for Maillard browning (48 hrs dough cold temp ferment typical for this reaction)....

Varasanos Pizza - Buckhead and Terminal A ATL
Never been to Varasanos, but his website is my Primo resource for legit homemade pizza. His dough recipe is awesome and results in very pliable, formable dough with perfect rise. I have actually texted him with questions and he has answered.

Friend has been to his Buckhead restaurant and Jeff actually gave him some of his sourdough starter.
 
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PSUJam

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Oct 7, 2021
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Trust me.... NJ resident / travel into NYC & Brooklyn and CT frequently / have been to DaFarva, John's, Patsy's, DeLorenzo's, Lucali, Lombardi's, Sally's Apizza....

My recommendation is a place in Buckhead GA and an outpost in Terminal A in ATL airport (don't laugh). Electric deck oven - 800'F plus cook - but not a wood fire neapolitan style. The pizza exhibits great char and leopard spotting (which happens only when you have a long fermented dough and starch converted to simple sugars for Maillard browning (48 hrs dough cold temp ferment typical for this reaction)....

Varasanos Pizza - Buckhead and Terminal A ATL
You seem to know a lot about this dough. 😉😁
 

psu31trap

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Oct 29, 2021
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John’s Pizza (Times Square)
Arturo’s (Greenwich Village)
La Rosa’s (Central New Jersey) 70’s thru 90’s
 
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Monty2007

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Oct 12, 2021
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The best Collarussos by far. All of the other Collarussos are imposters, including the Jessup location. My mother loves Anthony's pizza and everyone I know including my wife says Rinaldi has the best risotto in the area...not my thing. Had no clue about Arcaro and Genells. My uncle was in the food service business and would frequent AG often. When he passed they sent enough food to my aunt's house to feed 100 people. My wife was at a shower there not too long ago. Was his shutting down to only take out recent?

I don't think there was a firm date it happen, but because of the current events, sometime late spring I think. But he's still doing the take away dinner menu plus catering in the banquet room. That keeps him plenty busy. Ang has been a great supporter of the Scranton Alumni Chapter. We've had several events there and he's always take great care of us.
 
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laKavosiey-st lion

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Oct 30, 2021
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I don't know if it's the best, but it's the one I crave the most, perhaps because it reminds me of happier times, when the world was sweet and carefree, and I had a lifetime of dreams in front of me. Sicilian at HiWay Pizza in State College. I have not been there in 10 years and it's the only reason I would consider a return to the area.
If you’re talking about the one way off campus, I fell asleep in the planter. We were young enough that moms wasn’t angry.
 
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WSTLion87

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Oct 10, 2021
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With all due respect to Old Forge and Lackawanna County... The BEST pizza in NEPA or anywhere is Sabatini's in Exeter (Luzerne County). Same decor since the 70's and a lighted sign that simply says "PIZZA" out front!
 
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Moogy

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Nov 23, 2021
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Trust me.... NJ resident / travel into NYC & Brooklyn and CT frequently / have been to DaFarva, John's, Patsy's, DeLorenzo's, Lucali, Lombardi's, Sally's Apizza....

My recommendation is a place in Buckhead GA and an outpost in Terminal A in ATL airport (don't laugh). Electric deck oven - 800'F plus cook - but not a wood fire neapolitan style. The pizza exhibits great char and leopard spotting (which happens only when you have a long fermented dough and starch converted to simple sugars for Maillard browning (48 hrs dough cold temp ferment typical for this reaction)....

Varasanos Pizza - Buckhead and Terminal A ATL

Exhibit A in how to make a pizza sound unappetizing. It's pizza. Let's not complicate it.
 
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ClarkstonMark

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Oct 12, 2021
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I've also become a fan of Neapolitan and Roman-style pizza. In Phoenix, Pizzeria Bianco gets most of the love, but there are several that are as good or better. Cibo, La Piazza al Forno, Il Bosco, Forno 301, and Pomo are all solid Neapolitan options. Roman-style is limited with La Piazza the only game in town.
Thanks ... heading to Scottsdale tomorrow and we may want a pizza one night
 

ClarkstonMark

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Oct 12, 2021
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Trust me.... NJ resident / travel into NYC & Brooklyn and CT frequently / have been to DaFarva, John's, Patsy's, DeLorenzo's, Lucali, Lombardi's, Sally's Apizza....

My recommendation is a place in Buckhead GA and an outpost in Terminal A in ATL airport (don't laugh). Electric deck oven - 800'F plus cook - but not a wood fire neapolitan style. The pizza exhibits great char and leopard spotting (which happens only when you have a long fermented dough and starch converted to simple sugars for Maillard browning (48 hrs dough cold temp ferment typical for this reaction)....

Varasanos Pizza - Buckhead and Terminal A ATL
I have eaten at Varasanos in ATL many many times!!
 

Tony 83

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Oct 12, 2021
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My wife loves Maronis. I like Acaro's w/ sausage on Taylor hill. The Roosevelt in Dunmore is great square dive bar pizza. There's a ton of Old Forge style that are very good in NEPA.
So much good NEPA pizza wisdom here. I just had to second the Arcaro's on Taylor hill recommendation. Lots of people outside the area have heard of Arcaro and Genell's, and I have to explain that I'm talking about a different place, and I think a better example of the style.
 
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manatree

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Oct 6, 2021
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There should be a national law prohibiting "greek pizza" from being called pizza at all.

While I wasn’t a fan of their crust, the Gyro pizza at Bell’s Greek Pizza was one of the best flavor combos I’ve ever had on a pizza.

Can’t say that I’ve eaten enough NYC pizza to be an expert, but my three favorite NYC pizzas are in no particular order:

Totonno’s in Coney Island: Coal oven, whole pies only and they sometimes sell out early.

Patsy’s in Spanish Harlem: Coal oven, and they do sell by the slice in the take out shop next door to their sit down place.

NY Pizza Suprema near Madison Square Garden: Has the ambiance of an 1980s era food court but has a wide variety of great pizza by the slice or pie.

As for Happy Valley, the Hofbrau in Bellefonte is still my favorite. If it were in State College, I would have died ten years ago.
 
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Moogy

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Nov 23, 2021
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For "alternative pizza," my vote goes to Sicilia's Pizza in Providence for their Stuffed Pizza. It's so thick and gooey that they almost always fail to cut it all the way through, but that's about the only drawback.
 

WanderingSpectator

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Oct 12, 2021
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Thanks ... heading to Scottsdale tomorrow and we may want a pizza one night
I’d recommend Cibo in downtown Phoenix. It’s a great atmosphere in a 1920s bungalow. Pizzeria Bianco is similar but as Yogi Berra says, “nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded”.
 

MrTailgate

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Oct 19, 2021
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There was a thread a long time ago (well a year or so back) about experience with OONI pizza ovens. Maybe because you make it, but when it turns out well, I think the pizza is as good as the best pizza you have had. The ingredients are as fresh as can be possibly be and the oven cooks at such a high temp that you get crispy pizza. When you make your own dough, own homemade sauce from tomatoes in the garden, and the best toppings you can buy, the result is magic. I can’t tell you how many compliments I’ve gotten from people who are so surprised at the quality. I seldom get pizza out anymore. Get an OONI and have some fun.
 
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WanderingSpectator

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Oct 12, 2021
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There was a thread a long time ago (well a year or so back) about experience with OONI pizza ovens. Maybe because you make it, but when it turns out well, I think the pizza is as good as the best pizza you have had. The ingredients are as fresh as can be possibly be and the oven cooks at such a high temp that you get crispy pizza. When you make your own dough, own homemade sauce from tomatoes in the garden, and the best toppings you can buy, her result is magic. I can’t tell you how many compliments I’ve gotten from people who are so surprised at the quality. I seldom get pizza out anymore. Get an OONI and have some fun.
I was just looking at the Karu 16 but the Koda looks like a great option. Also, get “The Pizza Bible” by Tony Gemignani if you’re thinking about making your own.
 
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MrTailgate

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Oct 19, 2021
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I was just looking at the Karu 16 but the Koda looks like a great option. Also, get “The Pizza Bible” by Tony Gemignani if you’re thinking about making your own.

Thanks, I’ll check that out. The biggest issue is the dough and as you well know, the hydration % difference can make a world of difference and that can get tricky if you proof it at room temp or inside the frig, etc. The Karu 16 came out after I got the Pro which is the multi fuel oven. I bought my son the Koda. I actually like the Koda more than the Pro since you can control the heat better. I tend to use the gas insert on the Pro much more than wood. One thing about using wood. The oven will literally stay hot well into the next day so I used it only when there was no prospect of rain since it had to sit outside to cool. When you use the gas and turn it off, it’s like your BBQ Grille, it cools very quickly. You will have a TON of fun.
 
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Quint526

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Oct 29, 2021
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So much good NEPA pizza wisdom here. I just had to second the Arcaro's on Taylor hill recommendation. Lots of people outside the area have heard of Arcaro and Genell's, and I have to explain that I'm talking about a different place, and I think a better example of the style.
Wow. I haven’t been to that Arcaro’s since I was a kid. So many great choices.
 
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kgilbert78

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Oct 25, 2021
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One of our standard game day events was pizza at Hi-Way on North Atherton. One of the things I miss now that we are no longer season ticket holders.

Italy has some really good pizzas (we went in 2019). This was from a little shop in Florence near our B&B called Senzanome. Wood burning oven, as I recall.author-with-his-pizza.jpg
 
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